Green Flag: Not a Fourteen Eyes Country AND Not an Enemy of the Internet.

Logging

Points are given for each other category logged. From categories other than traffic logging 1 pt each, half points for not disclosed categories, or for “See Note”. None given for a clear “not being logged”

Red Flag: 2 or more “points” in the category

Yellow Flag: fewer than 2 “points” in the category

Green Flag: .5 or fewer “points” in the category

Activism

If no anonymous payment method is offered (including email), a service receives 3 points here automatically. Points are given for not accepting bitcoin, not using an open source platform (.5 for only open sourcing part of the platform), and not having a PGP key.

Red Flag: 5 or more “points” in the category

Yellow Flag: fewer than 5 “points” in the category

Green Flag: 2 or fewer “points” in the category

Service Config

Points given for red categories in service configuration section. Half points given for a “No” in POP3.

Red Flag: 2 or more “points” in the category

Yellow Flag: fewer than 2 “points” in the category

Green Flag: .5 or fewer “points” in the category

Security

1 point given if user doesn’t control private key, doesn’t use encryption (1 for transit/rest), or doesn’t specify the kind of encryption being used.

Red Flag: If 2 or more “points” given in the category

Yellow Flag: fewer than or equal to 2 “points” in the category

Green Flag: .5 or fewer “points” in the category

Availability

1 points given for < 3 connections, 1 point for no custom domain and for each “No” in features section. 1 point for less than 1 GB of storage for both email and documents.

Max price cells created at the bottom of the price columns. No points if in the bottom 3rd (least expensive) for price and price/connection, 1 pt for middle 3rd, and 2 pts for top 3rd (most expensive). No points if trial offered (or service free of charge), 1 if not. 0 pts for 30 days or more for refund (or service free of charge), 1 pt for 14 or more, 2 pts for 7 or more, 3 pts otherwise.

Red Flag: more than 6 points in the category

Yellow Flag: 6 or fewer points in the category

Green Flag: 3 or fewer points in the category

Ethics

1 pt for each good faith column violated. 1 pt for each no in affiliate policies, .5 for “some”, 0 for a yes. 1 pt for each affiliate violation. Ethics are being tracked here ONLY for the fields indicated. Services may have shady dealings outside of these fields.

Red Flag: 3 or more “points” in the category

Yellow Flag: fewer than 3 “points” in the category

Green Flag: 0 “points” in the category

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